September 10th, 2024
By Elise Stefanik
In typical fashion for the disgraced Andrew Cuomo, the desperate former governor and his unemployed henchmen are doing a full PR campaign ahead of his testimony today in front of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic to try to rewrite history and avoid culpability.
What a slap in the face to all straight-talking New Yorkers, who see right through this slick attempt at a cover-up.
Newly released bombshell reporting reveals that Governor Cuomo and his most senior aides ordered, directed, and executed the fatal nursing home executive order that killed more than 15,000 seniors. The disgraced former governor and his circle of sycophants were caught covering up their culpability to try to selfishly save their deservedly ruined reputations. There is no question that Andrew Cuomo is responsible for the deaths of innocent nursing home seniors. He must be held accountable.
As a representative of the hardworking families of New York, and the most senior congressional Republican from New York in over 100 years, I have been deeply committed to transparency and accountability on behalf of New Yorkers who lost their loved ones in nursing homes. One of the most important tasks we have undertaken as House Republicans in the Majority is investigating Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19, nursing home scandal, and corrupt book deal. This investigation is critical for delivering justice to heartbroken families, many of whom I remain directly in touch with, and ensuring such a tragedy is never repeated. House Republicans ran on and promised accountability during the 2022 elections, earned victory at the ballot box here in New York, and are now fulfilling that promise through our actions and dedication to uncovering the truth.
Here are the indisputable facts:
On March 25, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Department of Health issued now-deleted guidance that forced COVID-positive patients back into nursing homes. The mandate required acceptance of patients regardless of a nursing home’s capacity or ability to safely accept positive cases and exposed thousands of vulnerable residents to the virus.
To make matters worse, Cuomo made clear on multiple occasions that nursing homes did not “have the right to object” to the directive. He also failed to provide any mechanism for a nursing home to contact the state or transfer residents to another facility if it did not have the capacity to care for them. The governor ignored countless warnings and failed to rescind the “must admit” order until May 10, 2020, 46 days after the guidance was put in place. This failure tragically led to the death of over 15,000 seniors. To this day, Cuomo continues to dodge accountability for his actions and peddle lies about his involvement and the origins of the directive.
One of the most alarming aspects of the Cuomo administration’s actions was the underreporting of nursing home deaths and subsequent attempts to cover up the discrepancies. It has been extensively documented—and individuals close to the former governor, including former staff, have testified—that they were intentionally freezing and omitting data to downplay the state’s nursing home death toll out of fear of the Department of Justice. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ report confirmed a nearly 50 percent undercount in fatalities, raising urgent questions about transparency and highlighting a level of corruption that many already knew to exist. My role in pushing for accurate data reporting was crucial in shedding light on these discrepancies. Ensuring that the public and lawmakers had access to accurate information was a crucial step in holding Cuomo accountable for his administration’s actions.
The motivation behind the discrepancies in reported fatalities were later brought to light during the announcement of Cuomo’s book deal, which paid the governor $5 million for his “leadership lessons.” During impeachment investigations by the New York State Assembly, evidence was uncovered that suggested Cuomo violated numerous laws over the use of state employees and resources to write the book. Investigations and testimonies indicate that high-ranking staff were forced to divert their attention to write and promote the book as part of their regular course of work in the Executive Chamber. Thanks to the book deal, the governor was incentivized financially to prevent the public from learning about how his directive resulted in the tragic deaths of thousands of seniors.
Leaders do not profit from the tragedies of the constituents they claim to represent. Cuomo’s heinous decision to put profit over safety deserves to be exposed.
Cuomo’s decision to grant legal immunity to nursing home executives further highlights the vast level of corruption we are investigating and dealing with here in New York. Language in the directive intentionally shielded some of the governor’s biggest political donors, who publicly defended Cuomo from the initial questions brought against him. Buried deep inside Cuomo’s 2020 state budget was a provision (which was later rescinded due to its obvious conflict of interest) to shield executives running major health care facilities from liability associated with COVID-related deaths and injuries. Many of these corporate officials are deeply connected donors to Cuomo’s political campaign. By investigating the nursing home decision, I aimed to uncover further the conflicts of interest and incentives that drove the policy in Cuomo’s Albany to the detriment of seniors and their families.
Central to my involvement has been advocacy for the families affected by nursing home policies. These families deserve answers and justice for the irreplaceable loss of their loved ones. Amplifying their voices highlights the human impact of policy decisions and ensures that victims’ experiences inform future governance.
Throughout this process, I have consistently called for independent investigations and tirelessly worked with my colleagues in federal oversight. From leading my New York GOP members in countless letters to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice urging them to examine the state’s guidance, to actively participating in congressional oversight hearings and the deposition of the former governor, I remain steadfast in my commitment to bringing accountability. These efforts address Cuomo’s clear lies and set a precedent for governance transparency.
House Republicans campaigned on a platform of accountability, and our actions in this investigation reflect our commitment to delivering on that promise. By holding Cuomo accountable for his decisions, we aim to restore public trust, ensure ethical governance, and provide the first step in the long fight for justice for grieving families across New York State. Our efforts in Congress are a testament to the importance of checks and balances in government, as we have a constitutional obligation to expose this corruption and deliver results.
Our investigation is driven by a commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring accountability in governance. House Republicans, through our actions, are fulfilling our promise of accountability and justice for all.
Elise Stefanik, a Republican, represents New York’s 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
